Man, Coriola--I mean, Caius Marcius, is really fucking frightening in this speech. Ralph Fiennes, speaking with a "oh Jesus, again? I probably would kill you right now" monotone....This is an example of Shakespeare in a modernized setting that works. Awesome. And the fact that they all keep their accents is really good.
I have always liked Shakespeare in modern “garb “ especially when done so well as in this film Having been in uniform Coriolanus the character struck a chord with me
The historical Caius Martius Coriolanus was not liked by the rank-and-file Roman. The party they threw after he was exiled was bigger than anything they'd thrown for even a military victory.
The sheepdog must continually remind himself that while he may be protecting the sheep. He starts to believe that the sheep have an equal say with him or somehow know better about how to protect themselves. This is what happens with the sheep, the safer it gets the bolder they get, and they start believing after long periods of without harm that the risks or threat doesn't exist and maybe the sheepdog is not required or shouldn't be listen to anymore. Soon society begins to be run by sheep with their sheep ideas. Notably at the end of this scene it is always the woman who being the least able to defend herself who believes she can metaphorically say the most. A poignant depiction of all that is wrong in our modern world. True fragments glorified by the safety provided around them.
You do realize that the background to this scene is that there is a famine going on precipitated by the war with the Volsces and the state is hording the grain. The people are not safe, neither from war nor hunger. Gaius Martius is the face of the martial order, and while he ostensibly serves the people, he really serves the state and as you can see, is openly contemptuous of the people the state governs.
@@323guiltyspark Without stockpiles of grain and rationing it will be even worse. State often need to ignore screams from the crowd, cuz crowd is just a stupid animal who change opinion at wim.
The fundamental flaw with the insane “sheepdog” fantasy is of course that in this scene or in whatever real world context you are thinking of, there are no sheep or sheepdogs. There are only human beings, afflicted by human flaws. One of those flaws is hubris, in this case the hubris of imagining yourself as superior creature who is ordained in the natural order of things to be in charge. “Hubris, Atë, Nemesis” as the Ancient Greeks said, and that’s why Coriolanus is tragedy. Not because the protagonist was some elite tough guy that the civilians didn’t appreciate. But because his own pride led to his downfall.
@iii That's the flaw of failed Civilizations. Promising Safety and Securities to it's "Citizens" under the guise of Hard work. All the while forcing them to be dependent on The System, only to despise them later for it.
Modernized Shakespeare is absolute garbage. Dialogue sticks out like a sore thumb, the action of the characters are out of place (who storms a grainary in the 21st century?), and the whole set feels cheap and lazy...like the director couldn't be bothered to find costumes and sets to engage the viewer.
A large portion of this movie was filmed in real burnt out and blown up buildings. Buildings that had seen live fire and death I'm not sure how much more real you want. The government building is a legit government building from whom the government of that country let them use for this movie.
You sound like a very unimaginative, boring person. And also ignorant of the fact that this play and other Shakespeare's plays were originally played in modern costumes, too (16th century ones, not historically accurate ones).
